


in good company

by starkly



Series: Pepperony Week 2014 [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Pepperony Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 03:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1842760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper understands that sometimes duty calls, but she’d prefer if it didn’t always come calling during date nights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in good company

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Pepperony Week 2014](http://pepperonyweek.tumblr.com/), Day 4: Date Night.

Nobody gets in her way as Pepper walks down the hospital hallways looking like a woman on a mission. They all know better than to try and stop her.

It doesn’t take her long to find the room; Tony’s been in this hospital more times than she’d like to think about. (It’s also why this hospital has received some very grateful donations over the last few months.) She stops in the doorway and looks over Tony, who is thankfully conscious and playing with his phone in bed. He sits up when he notices he has company, expression wavering between pleased and slightly worried.

"Pepper! Pep, I swear I’m okay — I mean, I’m in a hospital bed, but it’s mostly for show anyway, I only broke my leg — Is that a pizza?" He stares at her, obviously confused at the large square box in her hands.

"You missed date night," is all Pepper says in response, moving aside an empty pudding cup and setting the box on the table surface above the end of the bed.

"I know, Pep, and I feel really bad about it, but — holy shit it is a pizza." He gapes as Pepper flips the lid on an extra large pizza, half pepperoni, half vegetable. "How’d they let you bring that in?"

"Nobody tried to stop me." Pepper shrugs, looking unconcerned. Tony is alive and mostly well. Who does it hurt to sneak in a pizza for him?

"You are the world’s best girlfriend," Tony says, already picking up a slice and practically shoving it in his mouth.

Pepper wrinkles her nose as she watches him eat. “You haven’t even been here for more than 24 hours.”

"That’s long enough to crave real human food," Tony counters, talking with his mouth full, and Pepper just shakes her head and picks up a slice of veggie pizza for herself.

"How’s the rest of the team?"

"Good. All in one piece. Not stuck in the hospital eating bland pudding."

"The hospital doesn’t even make the pudding, it comes it prepackaged cups."

"Then they’re buying the blandest on the market."

Pepper can’t help but smile, nibbling at her pizza while Tony helps himself to another slice. “If your biggest complaint is bland pudding, I think you should count yourself lucky.”

"Yeah, maybe." Tony toys with an excess strand of cheese between his fingers, scrunching it up and dumping it back on top of his pizza slice. "Sorry I messed up another date night."

"I know it wasn’t your fault." This time. "Dates can be rescheduled. I’m just glad you’re safe."

"I’ll make it up to you, I promise," Tony assures her anyway, reaching for her hand, and Pepper lets him take it even though both his hands are greasy. "This weekend, we’ll go out somewhere nice, have an expensive dinner. Just the two of us. I don’t care if the whole world’s on fire."

"I’d care a little bit," Pepper says, smiling a little. "That would ruin our dinner."

"Fine. Nothing short of an actual worldwide emergency will interrupt us. Okay?"

"Okay." Pepper nods, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go. "Now eat your pizza and let’s get you out of here."

"Oh thank god, I thought I’d never escape."

Pepper just rolls her eyes and takes another slice of pizza from the box. Tony may already be planning a whole evening to make up for missing last night, but Pepper’s fine eating contraband pizza on a hospital room bed as long as Tony’s there with her. It’s the company that counts, after all.


End file.
